


Dinadan sings and saves the day

by adevilkissedme



Category: Arthurian Mythology, Arthurian Mythology & Related Fandoms
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-19
Updated: 2020-05-19
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:49:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,879
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24273100
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/adevilkissedme/pseuds/adevilkissedme
Summary: Dinadan sings at Palamedes and Bragaine's wedding
Relationships: Isolde the Fair/Tristan (Arthurian), Palamedes/Brangaine
Comments: 2
Kudos: 7





	Dinadan sings and saves the day

**Author's Note:**

  * For [cukibola](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cukibola/gifts).



> This was originally posted on tumblr, with a promt suggested by cukibola

“You know what I just—I just shouldn’t get married.”

“What are you even talking about? Honey, you are already dressed up and-- come on, stand still.” Iseult said, trying to put yet another pin in her friend’s hair. “Compose yourself. Smile! This is the happiest day of your life!” Brangaine frowned.

“It wasn’t the happiest day of _your_ life.” Iseult pressed her teeth together, and for a moment Brangaine expected Iseult to hit her and throw her off the window. That would have been nice. Instead, she used a hair pin to sting her. “Ouch.” At this, Iseult smiled, then observed her work.

“You look great. Now give me a big smile. You are just having stage fright.”

“Stage fright? This is a marriage, not a play!”

“What is it that you are so afraid of anyway?” Brangaine would have made a whole list of the reasons why this was such a terrible idea, but she couldn’t make the words come out of her mouth. Iseult smiled widely, kissed her cheek and left the room before Brangaine could prevent it. For a moment, she stared at the window. Then at the bed sheets. Perhaps…“Don’t think about it for a second!” Iseult said from outside, reading her mind like she always did.

Brangaine stared around. She had gotten Iseult out of so much trouble, now she couldn’t device something for her own use? She was about to let herself fall on the bed dramatically, then remembered about her complicated hairdo. Now, for messing that up Iseult would get her killed. She approached the window. It would have been a nasty fall anyway.

* * *

“You need to calm down. Really.”

“I can’t. I think… Oh good Lord, I think my heart will get out of my chest!” Palamedes took Tristan’s hand towards his chest, but Tristan slapped him instead.

“Where’s your bravery, dear prince?”

“Gone! It’s all gone. Oh my…” Tristan, whose technique so far had been teasing Palamedes into marriage, suddenly questioned his methods when he saw his old enemy was on the verge of fainting. He took him by the shoulders and helped him sit on the cold, hard ground, hoping nobody will see the mess he was making of himself.

“Palamedes, for fucks sake!”

“This is the very first time I’ve ever heard you curse, you are indeed a fallible human being!” Dinadan was clapping, a big smile on his face as he approached the two other knights.

“Will you ever shut up?” Tristan said, trying to hush his friend, and failing. Palamedes raised his hands towards Dinadan.

“Ah! You’re here to save me, aren’t you? Here, Dinadan, take my place. You can wear my suit, we are about the same size anyway. Bran… Branga…” he couldn’t even pronounce the name “ _She_ will be happy to see you in my place.” A sad truth: Palamedes could not help but feel he simply was not good enough. He was too odd, too much of an outsider.

“Oh, my friend. I have absolutely no interest in marriage.” Dinadan stated, raising his hands in sign of peace.

“I’ll give you anything! You want my lands? I’ll give them to you.”

Dinadan was laughing out loud, much to Tristan’s annoyance.

“I’m just here to sing,” he pointed at the lute he was carrying, then kneeled down. “Here, this will help you.”

“What is it?”

“Just trust me.” Dinadan smiled, and Palamedes drank what he offered. “Now, breathe in. Tell me, don’t you find Brangaine to be a fine lady?”

“Very much indeed.” Palamedes admitted, raising his eyebrows, as he drank. He remembered the first time he had truly seen _her_ , and how he had gotten so nervous he forgot how to speak.

“Then I see no problem.”

“What if she doesn’t like me?”

“Look, I’m sorry to be the one to tell you, but you are not _that_ good of a match so a lady who didn’t fancy you would still marry you.” Palamedes moved his head. Dinadan had a point, really. “It is tonight that terrifies you, isn’t it?”

“How dare you?” Palamedes asked, in disbelief. Tristan quietly stood up and looked to the sides. He had seen men beaten to the ground for less.

“Hey, don’t worry, Tristan was too when…”

“You never know when to shut up, do you?” Tristan was about to throw a punch, but Dinadan avoided it by standing up with an impressive agility.

“All I’m saying is it is alright to be afraid, buddy. Women really are terrifying.” And to confirm these words, Dinadan shivered. “It will be alright, Palamedes. Take some time on your own. Come on, Tristan.”

Tristan reluctantly followed Dinadan. “Do you think it’s a good idea to leave him alone? What if he runs away?”

“Don’t worry, he won’t come looking for your lady.” He really was trying Tistan’s patience today. “What? Relax, my friend! Worst case scenario, the lady runs away with another knight.” Then he added, in a barely audible voice. “She has experience with that anyway.”

Tristan stared at him. “What did you say?”

“I said it will all be fine.”

“What sort of potion did you give him?”

“Potion? It was just wine!”

“Wine? You gave wine to someone who has never had a drop of alcohol just an hour away from his wedding?” Tristan turned back and went to Palamedes again.

“I’ll take care of that.”

“I don’t trust you.”

“Well, you must.” Tristan was about to say something but then Dinadan added. “Oh, I almost forgot, Iseult was looking for you.”

“Iseult?”

“The queen herself.” Tristan debated for a second, then went running away. Dinadan laughed. Old tricks are the ones that work the best. He looked at Palamedes who quietly drinking, lost in his thoughts. He had watered down the wine just enough to help Palamedes lose his shyness. He decided to give him some privacy and went to the stables, to give his horse a little reward.

As he was walking by, he saw a strange figure, followed by a donkey who was very reluctant to move at all.

“Come on you dammed beast.” The figure muttered.

“May I help you with that?” Dinadan offered. For a moment, he thought it was a servant boy, but why would a boy servant try to cover himself so hard? Especially in such hot day. The stranger gasped.

“No. I don’t need any help.” Said a feminine voice. Dinadan raised an eyebrow. The lady, whoever it was, stared down and a hood covered her face so he could not see her. “Sir.” She added. Dinadan petted the donkey, and stared at the woman, amused. She was rather short, and she definitely didn’t belong there.

“I think you do. Aren’t you attending the wedding, my lady?”

“Wedding? I don’t know what you are talking about.”

“Well, you must. Everybody knows. And everybody is coming, so it makes me wonder why you run in exactly the opposite direction. Unless…” Dinadan approached the lady, and she stepped back. When she did, he could see she was hiding a fine dress. Too fine, in fact.

“Enjoy the wedding, sir.” She said, going away, her head still low, walking past him.

“Lady Brangaine.” Dinadan called. The lady froze.

“Who is that?”

“Come on. I caught you. Stop trying. You used to be better at this, my dear.”

She stared at him. “How dare you?” She took off her hood just to face him. She had a very serious face. Dinadan had never seen her in the flesh, not this close. She was actually quite pretty. But he could see why Palamedes was so terrified.

“I am Dinadan,” he said, bowing.

“I know who you are.”

“Oh, then you must know I have prepared a song for your wedding. I have been practicing for weeks.”

“That’s on you, sir.” She said.

“Oh,” Dinadan put his hands on his chest, with an expression of pain, and such exaggerated emotion he showed, Brangaine was tempted to laugh. “You break my heart. You truly are a cruel lady, no wonder why sir Palamedes is so terrified of you.” Brangaine had done well hiding her amusement, but now she couldn’t fight her curiosity.

“Is he?”

“Just spoke to him. He was trying to run away, you see.”

“Why?”

“That you must tell me, since you are doing the same.” Brangaine stared down in shame, blushing.

“I… I am too young to get married?” She said, then wanted to hit her head for coming up with that excuse of all.

“Well, I mean this with no disrespect whatsoever, my dear lady but you’ll do better not to wait any longer. Time flies, you see.”

“Are you calling me old?”

“I am, yes. Well, I didn’t say you are old… yet, but—”

“Alright. I get it. It’s just…” she sighed. She remembered that day she had seen him for the first time, how mighty he looked defeating all those knights and how handsome he had seemed to her when he took off his helmet and revealed those dark curls and sun kissed skin.

Dinadan approached her, put his hand on her shoulder and gave her his best smile.

“He’s crazy for you, my lady.”

“Really?” One of the flowers from her hair fell down and she remembered Iseult, and how Palamedes himself had pursued her not so long ago. She couldn’t help but feel like a consolation prize, even though she had readily accepted this engagement when it was suggested.

“I swear.” He took his second flask, the one he always kept for himself and offered it to her, taking a step back so he wouldn’t invade her space for too long. “It will help you. Now, allow me to escort you back in, before they all notice and this all becomes a mess.”

* * *

It was a marvelous show, to see both groom and bride trembling, trying so hard to stand still. Dinadan had to contain his laughter for the whole ceremony, but when they were finally able to move, both Palamedes and Brangaine had silly and warm smiles on their faces. They seemed happy, and they cared about nobody else. The banquet that followed was huge. There were thousands of strange faces, but they only had eyes for each other. Palamedes whispered something that made Brangaine laugh, and she was visibly calmer after that.

Dinadan was happy for his friend. He had never seen Palamedes smile so broadly, and for a moment, Dinadan believed in true love –whatever that was. When it was time, they all gathered together, Dinadan’s only companion was his lute. His voice was soft, the melody sweet. He charmed them all singing:

_Once there was a fair lady_

_who day and night_

_for a worthy knight pleaded._

_That fair lady, she seldom smiled_

_For hardship filled her days_

_And took away all her light._

_One morning came a knight_

_From lands distant and old as time,_

_His armor shone bright_

_Like a star fallen from the sky._

_From her window she stared in delight,_

_And this new star now filled all her nights._

_Now she is happy,_

_Very happy indeed,_

_For the knight declared his love_

_And the lady smiled forevermore,_

_For she had prayed for light_

_And a star she got._


End file.
